Plummet
by BleedOutYourEmpathy
Summary: A jewel and a wish are similar. Both have many facets. What will become of our miko when she makes the ultimate sacrifice for her friends?
1. The Girl Who Defied the Jewel

So, if you haven't seen the last episode of Inuyasha:Final Act, this chapter might spoil a few things, but I am changing enough that it should still be a surprise. Anyway, I own nothing. Now on with the show.

Chapter One: The Girl who defied the Jewel

Kagome was trapped inside of the _shikon no tama_. She could feel the pull of the jewel like a visceral yanking inside of her chest. The wrong wish would trap her inside of this beautiful hell. The right one might take her away from her friends and Inuyasha forever. Closing her eyes, she tried to remember every good moment she had in the feudal era. Miroku and his wise advice and wandering hands, Sango's hard face in battle and tinkling laugh with her friends,Shippou's tricks and subtle insecurities.

She may never see any of those small things again.

_Inuyasha.._

As a girl from the future, Kagome hoped for a happy ending. As a woman with experience in the bloody past, she knew that most endings were sad, painful, and scarred even the most brave and venerable. The pretty stone was whispering in her ears, and the priestess could see how much sway the bauble could have.

But she steeled herself.

It had to be done. A truly unselfish wish.

_I wish the shikon no tama had never existed._

The jewel disappeared. Time rewrote itself with an ease that would infuriate scientific theory. A human bandit died unceremoniously. A bitter hanyou married a stoic priestess without incidient and let her heal the rifts in his heart. A kitsune enjoyed a beautiful life with his parents. A demon hunter met a perverted monk at an inn and they teamed up to slay an oni together, marrying without having to worry about kazaana and dead families. A wolf demon married a pushy red-headed woman without thinking twice of it.

The only one who would suffer and remember was the person giving up her everything for their happy endings. Kagome Higurashi, who earned her title as the _shikon no miko _with her very soul.

But the power of the jewel could not destroy itself. It simply destroyed the vessel. And if that pure power could not inhabit Kagome's world, it would simply have to exist on another plane.

It was Loki who sensed it first. He was waiting for Thor to use the damned cube to return them to Asgard. It would almost be a relief to be imprisoned, entombed in the gilded halls there. Loki would bury himself in private venom and wait for the appropriate time to exact punishment from everyone whom he hated.

But then a jolt like lightening began at the base of his spine, travellin between each vertebrae until it left the tang of copper in his mouth. Power. Raw, pure power. The stench of ozone permeated everything, as the portal Thor opened waivered like a spinning top about to tumble. The void began mutating. The Tessaract imploded under the backlash, throwing both Loki and his contempable brother into the dirt.

A body fell from the sky. A woman with hair black as the night. Her body would surely be crushed, Loki believed. He had forgotten that she must be Asgardian. But no, his mind hadn't contemplated her origins. The energy she radiated had perforated his mind, slicing away all ulterior motives and angry thoughts. There was just the basic thought he usually deemed stupidly inferior.

A woman was falling and she should not be. His heart felt a trill of panic. He almost pleaded with his brother to save her, and didn't know why. Thor was looking up with as much abject horror as Loki was. If the woman died it would be as if all the light in the world had been put out in sequence, never to return. They stretched out their hands in unison, this the one thing they could agree upon.

But she was destined to hit earth, the round cratering around her as if the woman had been created from stone instead of soft flesh and delicate organs. Loki felt himself stumble, and run to her like a child would run to their mother. Thor passed him with his usual athletic grace, and Loki couldn't even summon the urge to trip him, or say something cruel. He had to ensure the creature was safe.

Kneeling at her side, Thor turned her over, his large hands surprisingly gentle as he flicked soft strands of dark hair from her face. She was beautiful in a way only the immortal could be. Dark hair, soft pale skin, and bright blue eyes with a glint of grey steel in them. They fluttered for a moment, confused.

"Please.. help."

Thor feared her dead as her eyes closed, but her pulse was strong and sure in her wrists, and no blood spurted from her, no bones were broken. The surge of peace the brothers had been privy to gradually resided into a silent sort of shellshock. The blond behemoth tapped a button on the wrist communicator Director Fury had insisted he wear, watching Loki while also keeping a hand on the girl. Whatever calm had come over his silver-tongued brother, it would not do to give it value. He could disappear in an instant if he wished.

"Something of great import has happened. I must request healers to our departure site."

"**What's wrong**?"

"The Tessaract has been destroyed."


	2. The Girl Who Woke Up

Thanks for the reviews^^ They fuel me. Again, I own nothing.

Chapter Two: The Girl Who Woke Up

Fury had assembled the Avengers in less time than it took to order a pizza, his fingers steepled as he waited for a report to come in. Stark hadn't even tried to be his usual smart ass self. Perhaps he knew that Fury might actually beat him to death this time. The eye patch nagged at his face, but the man stoically allowed it to, knowing that touching it would just make it worse.

The Tessaract was destroyed. According to Thor a woman had fallen from the sky and the backlash of whatever power had sent her had crushed the cube into ash. Or perhaps her human body had absorbed the energy. It seemed too far-fetched to believe a human body could absorb the amount of whatever the Tessaract was made of and not be obliterated. But the alternative was that this creature had a power stronger than that of the cube.

Fury wanted desperately not to believe that.

When the medical unit arrived the woman on the gurney had to be a joke. She was tiny, young and weak. Her vital signs were perfect but she wasn't regaining consiousness. Thick eyelashes remained staunchly closed.

Fury kept the Avengers on sight for Thor's debriefing, Loki in his alien handcuffs was sitting there being eerily silent. Thor was trying to explain feelings and emotions, not facts. Things began getting fuzzy. After the blond man ran out of words, Fury leaned forward, his leather coat crinkling in that pleasant way he silently enjoyed.

"Are you telling me that this-_woman_-made you feel _peaceful_?"

Thor's blue eyes crinkled in that _unpleasant_ way that meant he was lost for words. After a moment he responded to Fury, not angry but frustrated, trying to speak in a way that didn't make him sound insane.

"Not just peace-there was first a rush of power. The Tessaract was shattered by this rush. After this wave of calm feeling, but through this I felt-I felt as if-"

Loki rolled his eyes at his brother's eloquence.

"As if the fate of the world rested on catching her before she fell from the heavens. But I could not move. Not until she struck the ground. Even Loki was entranced in that way. He could have escaped, but he was running with me."

The idea of the sly Asgardian not taking the chance to run spoke volumes to Fury. Thor had something else to say though. His fist clenched on the handle of _Mjolnir._

"We have another quandary. Loki and myself are now trapped here in Midgard. My father expended much of his power to bring me to this place. So soon after the Odin Sleep he cannot repeat such a spell."

So not only did he have this woman to worry about, but now the two brother gods. Damn it.

His communicator bleeped and Fury answered it immediately, hoping Thor's mouth would stop opening and spewing out more work for him.

"What?"

"**Sir the woman has awakened. We need someone down here fast, a power surge has blacked out the medical wing!**"

"Shit! Get down there!"

Banner was the only one who hesitated, but Stark grabbed his elbow and grinned, pushing him in the direction of the current gaggle of people.

"No way Jolly Green, time to meet nature's own human sedative. I wonder if she does parties."

Fury was relieved to see Thor had remembered to escort his brother. Even with the cube and the staff destroyed, the sly man was dangerous. He followed further behind, glad to hear the electrical staff announce a return of lighting down in the med area. The last thing they needed was a potential enemy with an advantage in their facility.

But there was no need to fret.

When Fury made it to the medical bay the first thing he realized was that the tiny woman was in the typical ill-fitting hospital gown, complete with the useless mesh underwear hospitals provided their guests with. He arrived to find a flabbergasted Captain America with his arms wrapped around the sobbing Japanese woman. The blond super soldier had no idea what an Inuyasha was, but the girl was repeating it over and over.

Finally Tony kneeled down, apparently using his genius for more than fame and annoyingly quick anecdotes. He touched her shoulder, not flinching when she rounded on him like he was attacking. Holding up his hands he spoke in fluent Japanese, no trace of his smarmy usual tone distinguishable.

"_Are you alright? Are you hurt_?"

Kagome shuddered in his arms, her tiny ones shivering as her fingers fisted on the arms of his suit. Her eyes were beautiful, and Tony almost imagined he felt calm as she touched him, like this was the universal something you returned to in death, that deep color of her eyes..

She spoke, her voice clearer, calmer now.

"_Where am I_?"

* * *

Fury had given the woman a few hours to dress and put herself together. Whatever had happened to her she was emotionally unstable and seemed to be less a woman than a teenager, but under the current circumstances age wouldn't deter him from treating her like the dangerous threat she could be. Already Stark was rallying for her, helping her sit down in the empty questioning room.

Her pretty blue eyes took in the spare decor and the solid, bolted down table with a wry grin that helped balance out the red tinge around her eyes. Apparently she had used some of her time to weep.

"_ I didn't know this was an interrogation_."

She flinched when the room translated her words in perfect english. As if she was the first foreign detainee they had ever had to speak with.

The room would also repeat his words to her in Japanese, so there was that benefit as well. He could send Stark out if he liked. At least the rest had stayed out, mostly because the room was too small to accommodate them.

"Interrogation implies that you are guilty and have something to be interrogated about. This is simply a formal investigation into how you arrived and what you plan to do here."

Her face creased a little in irritation. This man almost reminded her of Sesshoumaru, how he would say something deliberately rude and then wait to see how you reacted.

"_I'm from earth. But as far as Mr. Stark is concerned, he thinks I'm from a different universe or plane entirely. My earth is far less advanced in the areas of technology, and we have no superheroes. I came here by accident_."

Stark nodded, interjecting as he was wont to do.

"Alright, so get this: She was already from an alternate reality, and she travelled back in time by five hundred years. Apparently there was some sort of magical orb or something, and she destroyed it. Her physical body absorbed the power, and since the orb couldn't sustain itself on her plane of reality anymore, it took advantage of was Thor's open portal and BLAM-she was transported here. There was a bunch of other stuff about demons and priestesses but I left that out. Figured you wouldn't care."

Tony winked at Kagome quite scandalously,and Fury knew the woman was both irritated but grateful to the genius for sparing her a long talk.

Fury needed more answers. He grilled the girl (whose name he found out was Kagome Higurashi) for a few hours. She went through all her amazing and possibly made up adventures, and Fury went in for every small detail. If she was telling the truth, then he was officially interested.

When she got to the end of the tale though, Fury looked thoughtful.

"Could you demonstrate your abilities if I could provide you with a bow and arrow?"

Kagome wondered just how much she would have to do to get him to believe her, but nodded in the affirmative.

Soon enough she was blessing the gods for the fresh air on the deck, even if being so high in the air was freaking her out a little. Somehow they had even set up a creepy human looking target for her to shoot at. The bow was a compound bow though, and she looked at it like it might bite her fingers. After the man called Hawkeye gave her a brief tutorial on the thing, she took aim.

Fury was entranced by the wave of opalescent light that followed the arrow like the tail of a comet. When it struck the dummy the creation glimmered with the pure light before disintegrating into a pile of dust. Just like the remains of the Tessaract.

It was the feeling of peace that lingered after the arrow hit that bothered him. Fury was never particularly at peace, and feeling it as a result instead of as a real feeling made him angry. She might not realize her strength, but emotional manipulation was something that was extremely dangerous.

Kagome smiled, glad at least this aspect of her life was still there. The feeling of surging holy power was so beautiful, and it felt nice to have some defenses in this strange place.

"_Sorry about your mannequin. Usually my energy only purifies demons and spirits_."

Thor seemed struck by that, before smacking Tony's back to get his attention, forgetting his own strength as the man hissed in irritation.

"Ask of this woman if she is a priestess."

When the answer was yes Thor beamed like he had just gotten a wonderful gift.

"This is wonderful! How long it has been since a true priestess has been discovered?"

Loki was watching her closely now, and responded with the answer seemingly without realizing it.

"Seven hundred years. Give or take a few decades."

Fury looked annoyed now. Holy energy. Spirits and demons. They were getting in over their heads. He eyed Kagome now, and decided to give her a chance.

"Stark, explain to her what the Avengers are. Then tell her what we expect of her."

Tony looked annoyed now, knowing Fury wasn't giving the girl a choice. But it was pretty cut and dry for him. if she wasn't a threat she would fight with them when the time came. If she was a threat then they would have plenty of time to assess her weaknesses in training.

And that was how Kagome got rooked into another adventure.


	3. The Girl Who Met the God

AN: Again, I own nothing. Thank you for so many positive reviews! Keep them coming please!

Chapter Three: The Girl Who Met The God

Kagome laid in her bunk, wishing her entire body didn't feel like it had been beaten with a sack full of rocks. Her mind was still coming to terms with everything that had happened, and the pace of the world she had fallen into wasn't helping at all. In the Feudal Era they walked all day and when the fight came they fought. Here though, they were actively training for some alien apocalypse.

She was sort of glad that they did work her butt off though. It kept her mind safe from wandering off in search of people she would never see again. It had been the point of her wish, what made it truly unselfish. It hurt as much as she had known it would, and now Kagome was trying to steel herself to deal with , these weren't bad people she had fallen in with. In fact, Kagome liked the residents of the flying battle ship more and more.

Clint Barton was called Hawkeye, and she liked him the most because he wasn't actively trying to push her away. Instead he retained a sort of Sesshoumaru-ish air of silent superiority. He was helping her with archery and hand to hand combat. Mostly because Fury had seen that she and Black Widow might not get along very well. Barton would correct her firmly but without making her feel useless, and her archery was already loads better.

Natasha Romanoff didn't like her at all. It was really very obvious. Kagome didn't know why either,but the woman had tried to help with her training for two days. She was stone faced and refused to speak to Kagome unless correcting her. She grilled her about her life if she did speak, and didn't seem to believe any of the answers she got. Finally Fury sent her on a mission to get her off of Kagome's case.

Tony Stark had provided the most help though, by providing her with a translation device to wear. It was still a hassle for everyone to have to wait for her to speak, then for the machine to speak again, but it was way better than having the snarky business man put words in her mouth. He had also provided her with a teaching program she had to study every day.

It had been a month, and she was getting better. The rest of the people called the Avengers hadn't really been around much. She saw Stark and Bruce Banner most, and Bruce barely spoke. When he came he seemed to want to stick to her side, as if afraid to leave it. Kagome had been told about his problem, and wondered if he simply liked the feeling of peace that the power of the jewel seemed to have given her.

Whenever Kagome couldn't sleep, she would walk through the corridors of the ship, radiating it in that serenity. Almost like she had decided if she couldn't sleep then everyone else should. This was going to be one of those nights. She rose from the bunk with a grunt, making sure her pink cotton pajamas (Stark's girlfriend Pepper had picked them out) weren't askew. Putting on her standard issue black slippers, she left the room and ventured through the halls.

Kagome had always been a curious child. Her mother had despaired of it for a long time, before realizing it made her very unique. Most curious children never find anything worth being inquisitive about. Kagome had a knack for finding strange treasures however, and that strange talent lead her to Loki's holding cell after two hours of hallway walking.

Her ship pass let her through the door without an issue, and when she saw that this wasn't the swimming pool she dimly wished she had memorized the sign-tree from the previous hallway. Instead here was a man in a silly hat stuck in a clear glass tubular room. He seemed to like green, Kagome noticed. And gold.

She was about to profusely apologize to him when she noticed his eyes were closed. Creeping forward in her silent little slippers, she crouched beside the glass and watched him. The hat looked heavy on his head, and she saw that his hair beneath it was black as ink. She wondered what color his eyes were. She didn't have to wait long however. Her silly slipper squelched against the solid metal floor as she tried to sit down fully, and bright green eyes sprung open.

He must have thought she was going to attack him, because he lunged before remembering where he was, and had to pull back before hitting the glass. Kagome was blushing from embarrassment, and as he settled his face into a look that seemed to be both mocking and cheerful, she spoke to him, waiting for the bracelet to do it's work afterward.

_**"Hello, my name is Kagome. I'm sorry for bothering you**_."

Loki wondered if she remembered the first time he had seen her at all. Doubtless she remembered Thor the Almighty, glorious bastard that he was. Well Loki had been there as well.

"I am Loki Laufeyson, and after being imprisoned here for thirty days and nights I welcome a bit of bother, little human."

She was surprised that she could understand him, and he motioned at her communicator with a look of distaste.

"Ah, human limitations. I speak the All-Speak. You may shut that annoyance off and simply converse."

Kagome would have been put off by his annoyance if she wasn't so excited to shut off the contraption. It grated on her nerves to use it. Clicking a button on the cuff, and smiling greatly all the while, she wished she could give him a giant hug for the gift of communication.

"Finally, someone who can understand Japanese besides Tony! I'm so excited! It gets tiring to wait for the translations you know, and English is much harder than people think. But why did they imprison you? I remember seeing you that first day, you had these cuffs on your wrists.."

She wasn't wary of him, after all she was on the good side of the glass and couldn't feel any sort of dark aura to him. Usually it was easy to tell if someone wasn't pleasant, but he seemed nice enough, if a bit smug.

Loki was just happy she remembered him, although it had taken her a few minutes. Thirty days were nothing for him, but humans were such weak-minded creatures. Although this one was a priestess, and thus more worthy of notice.

"I participated in an attack against this planet, and while they tried to send me back to my world for their version of justice you came through the portal and destroyed our means to depart. I suppose I should thank you, except now I am trapped on Earth, without the aid of the Tessaract."

Kagome realized then that this must be Thor's brother. She had seen the man for a few days before Nick Fury had shipped him off to be with his girlfriend at some remote observatory. The dark skinned director seemed suspicious of Thor's motives, as he kept speaking to Kagome about priestess-hood. The last thing the planet needed was a revival of some religious cult.

"I would apologize, but I doubt you would want to go back anyway. From what Thor said not everyone would be as nice to you as he tries to be."

Loki wanted to scream at her, but instead he seemed to coat himself in more smug and try to rile her.

"Well, if my merciful older brother is such a good man, why imprison me in the first place?"

Kagome wished she would quit running into siblings with this issue. Why couldn't anyone have a normal relationship? Deciding to ignore Loki's attitude in favor of answering his question, she shrugged a shoulder, her wavy hair framing her face prettily, in rough waves.

"You sure do hate him huh? You have to admit that if someone came to a planet you were protecting and attacked it with giant space monsters, you would be pretty miffed and try to punish them too. Besides, you can quit getting all upset. I don't idolize your brother. He's a nice man, just like you seem to be a nice man. I don't judge people based on their siblings examples."

Loki watched her intently, green eyes seeming to flash dangerously.

"What do you know about judgement, you pathetic child?"

Kagome released her power, letting it spark against the glass in waves of iridescent pink energy. Her mouth set in a frown as she spoke to him, blue eyes tired and full of rebuke. But not anger. She wasn't going to let him wind her up.

"I think that you hate him because every day growing up you had to be in his shadow. Finding out you weren't really related to him probably helped alienate you even more. You were the strangled weed that grew in the shadow of a great tree. You were smaller and craftier than most of your peers, but all they had eyes for was him, right? And then you heard he was going to ascend to the throne. It was too much, wasn't it?"

Kagome watched him as Loki tried to reign in his emotions. The power she had released didn't help, penetrating his slick veneer and reaching into his soul, soothing the ache there like a balm on a festering wound. His face seemed to collapse under the weight of her words.

"It's hard to love someone when you feel like you are second best compared to them, isn't it? Is that why you try so hard to hate everyone? You know they will like him more anyway and you think that there just isn't a point in befriending them, because Thor got there first?"

Loki Laufeyson wept then, for the first time since being a small child. The entire time he blamed her, this tiny and strange young woman. When Kagome stepped into the chamber he didn't hear her. She shut the door behind her and swept the god's hat off before pulling him into her arms.

He didn't know how to react to this comfort, this strange creature holding him. She had nothing to gain from being good to him, he knew he should do something drastic like take her hostage.

Instead he gripped her tightly, crushing her against his chest like the tighter he could grip her the longer she might stay. The sweet feelings she exuded swept into him and Loki buried his head in the juncture of her shoulder and clung on as his face became hot and his breaths ragged. Kagome whispered softly to him, rubbing his back and stroking his dark hair.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

An hour or so later he had finally cried out most of his bitter injuries, and she was surprised at how much he reminded her of Inuyasha. This was who Inuyasha would have become if raised with Sesshoumaru, being constantly in his shadow. But she knew Loki was his own person, and reminded herself definitively not to compare him to anyone else.

The silence went on for a while, and she just kept her fingers in his hair, and he just kept holding her, his strong hands almost hurting her in his clinging. He whispered something then, and she barely picked it up because he was muttering it into her skin.

"_I hate you_."

Kagome laughed then, and Loki thought it sounded like a Bre'esh bird nesting in a high tree. Delicate and beautiful, not mocking him.

"I like you too,Loki."


	4. The Girl Who Confused the Assassin

AN: Hey all, I'm so glad you liked my direction with the last chapter. All the reviews I got were very positive. My favorite was from Miyukiyama, I am very glad you liked it, but sorry for making you cry! Also a concern about Kagome's lack of English skills as put forth by Akiso13. I would like to discuss this now because it was a concern of mine before starting the story. As of 2011 Japan instituted English classes beginning at elementary school age, but previous to that it was taught in junior high school. Kagome is 15, which means that she has probably had two to three years of english classes, but after so long in the feudal era I imagine much of that gets forgotten if it isn't used consistently. I took spanish in school for two years and remember absolutely nothing of it now. She is working on it with Tony however, so soon she will not be italicized. Anyway, on with the show!

Chapter Four: The Girl Who Confused the Assassin.

Hawkeye was going to strangle her.

He really was this time, no more calm facade every time she did or said something that made no sense to him. No more ignoring how childish she could be and then how serene and sad she could turn. It was maddening to be around the kid, she was such a weird amalgamation of grown up experiences and childish optimism and hope. That was probably why Natasha couldn't tolerate her.

The hallway to Loki's holding cell was empty, and Fury had called him to tell him to hustle down there because of a breach. Apparently the alarm on the door had gone off, but after pulling up the view screen Fury had seen that Kagome had not only not helped the devious god escape, she had locked herself in with him and made the man _cry_.

Hawkeye had been told to wait outside of the door and to hold there. Fury was more interested in spying on Loki and Kagome's conversation then worrying about the sixteen year old woman herself. If she could use her strange magic to help diffuse the threat Loki posed to Earth, then he would let her visit the asshole as much as she liked. She didn't have to know he was watching after all.

The girl didn't know the effect she had on people. Fury seemed to enjoy watching her confuse and frustrate them. Hawkeye thought having a team-mate who could manipulate others so easily was a liability, but at least she didn't seem to be using her gift to hurt them. No, instead she was fixing things, which was awkward. Her only kudos she would receive was in asking Thor to tone down his proper english addiction a little.

Leaning against the cold door, we listened to the murmur of voices in the room. He wondered what Kagome was telling Loki, because all he heard was the musical lilt of her Japanese.

* * *

Loki was doing something he hadn't ever managed to carry out since childhood. He was having a conversation with someone he didn't dislike, about topics that would not benefit him in some way. It was.. incredibly refreshing. Kagome held him without fear, and he found that wonderful as well. Her arms were gentle and safe, and he wondered briefly if children felt so secure in their parents arms. She had a gentle scent as well, the typical human smells of cleanser and detergents.. but an undercurrent of some floral perfume he enjoyed.

"You have had many strange journeys it seems. I'm surprised you survived travelling with these youkai you speak of. Humans are not very durable."

Kagome laughed, and it reminded him of the trill of tat familiar bird again.

"Well, it depends on the human I suppose. My priestess powers kept me safe much of the time, and I suppose that makes me more of a human with unique ability? But youkai did kill many of the humans of that time, if other humans didn't finish the job first. I never understood that. Such.. pointless violence."

She could grieve so easily for strangers. Where before he might have regarded such as a weakness, now Loki was just eager to understand the why of it, of her boundless love for was a puzzle he assumed he may never understand.

"Not all violence is pointless. Besides, when it is it's usually a sign of some sort of civil problem. Starvation,tyranny, taxes..things that can spark violence in the heart. From what you have spoken of, this time was full of such things.. but violence isn't a sound rejoinder to suffering. Humans forget that. It's one of the reasons I wanted to rule them. They can be so childish and stupid. You are the exception to the rule."

Kagome wanted to swat him for that, but not all of his points were untrue. The Sengoku Jidai had been a terrible time to be alive for obvious reasons. Perhaps if humans had all the eons of time the Asgardians had to figure things out, the world would be a better place.

"You are blind to the other exceptions because you don't get exposed to many normal humans. You meet most of them on the battlefield."

Loki laughed sardonically, tugging gently on a tuft of her dark hair.

"Ah, but the battlefield is where Asgardians only send their best and most virtuous. Shouldn't humans be judged by the quality of the men there?"

Kagome shook her head, remembering many prime examples of the exact opposite.

"No. Anyone can fight here, and sometimes the exact worst people are chosen to represent our kind. People who lust for power, who are ruthless or cruel. Its a failing humans need to work on."

In Loki's opinion humans had many failings they needed to work on, but he decided that he wouldn't rail on about it now. It was the middle of the night, and he had a beautiful human priestess with him. It would be a bad time to upset her. And he found he didn't want to for other reasons as well. Like actually caring about her emotions. She seemed to enjoy his company, and it wouldn't do to alienate the one person he had seen in a month who wasn't that loathsome Director Fury.

"For a human, you are very introspective. Do you have many personal failings I simply haven't been privy to yet?

Loki was simply curious about her. Knowing her story didn't tell you much about her internal workings.

"I have plenty of failings, they just aren't easily seen by quick observation. I can be hard-headed. I forgive people much to easily. I give in too quickly when people ask me to do things that are self-sacrificial."

Loki considered one or two of those things to be good, but perhaps not for the person who suffered from them. If she didn't forgive people so readily perhaps she would never have come in here with him, after all.

"Everyone has flaws. I am extremely cynical. It can be a failing when dealing with people who are as idealistic as my sibling. I simply find him one dimensional. It makes me jealous that people seem to love such a flawed person so easily."

Kagome had already seen that, so it was alright to say.

"I think that perhaps you are simply too different to see his nuances, because he does have them. I've had many conversations with Thor, and he has a very big heart. He isn't as.. academically smart as you. But like you've said: you aren't a soldier. He is. He spent many years thinking fighting was the only thing worth his time. As a result he is realizing his mistake and taking the steps to fix it. It will take a lot of time to get where he should be. But at least he is aware of his failings. We can't ask for more than that."

Loki wanted to argue with every point she made, no matter how valid it was. He couldn't without proving himself to be a jealous fool though. It was so vexing! Kagome yawned then, though. Loki decided to do the little human a favor, leaving the security of her arms and lifting her into his lap.

"Sleep. Fury comes to feed me in the morning, and I'm sure he will ask many questions. You'll need sleep to keep from purifying his eyepatch off."

Kagome wanted to argue, but all the drama had made her drowsy. She fisted her hands in the material of his suit with a sigh of fatigue.

"Just so you know, I don't make a habit out of sleeping on strangers."

Loki laughed, and it felt wonderful to have something to genuinely be joyful for.

"I'll make a note of it."

And with that, she started to drift off into sleep. He watched her like a television show, stroking her temple and wondering at how gentle he could be.

* * *

Hawkeye stayed outside of the room all night, waiting for Loki to hurt her. When Fury came with his breakfast, Loki was a model prisoner, handing off the sleeping Kagome to Hawkeye without a word. He didn't try to escape, didn't attempt violence..

Fury smirked at Loki as they traded Kagome off for some food. He had fallen under the girls' spell. It was perfect! Loki wanted to smack him, he could tell. Too bad Fury finally had some leverage over the alien.

"So.. I'm assuming you will be asking me for visitation rights?"

Loki wanted to snarl.

"Yes. If that wouldn't be too much trouble. As you see, I didn't hurt your precious priestess. She was safe as houses, as the human phrase goes."

The urge to bust Loki's balls would have to wait. This was the first break through they had with the man, and Fury didn't want to waste it with teasing. Well he _did_, but he wouldn't.

"She comes in, you stay in. If you try to leave, the doors lock and I order her to pump her power into you. Don't force her to dissolve you with magic. In return, you will work with your brother on a way to get back to your godforsaken planet. He will come, you will talk to him. None of the snarky bullshit you usually put him through. Deal?"

Fury wanted more than anything to have this Asgardian off his planet. Fury had a feeling he might know of some interesting theories for getting home, but hadn't the means to fulfill those theories. With Thor and Loki working together, they might soon have a reprieve from the strangers.

"Deal."

And thus, due to Kagome's wierd influence on Loki, Hawkeye had to deal with Fury whistling a happy tune at the mess hall. It baffled the sleep deprived assassin so badly he tossed his tray in the wastebasket and headed straight to bed, cursing Kagome the whole way there.


	5. The Girl Who Had Heart

AN: Thanks for all the lovely reviews everyone, I was really happy to see so much positive feedback. It took me a while to get this chapter out because the ending wasn't to my liking until I rewrote it today. It isn't traditional fare and I hope you aren't disappointed. Btw amb520, I loved your review and this chapter brings both your requests to life. Feel free to tell me what you all want to see, if it works in I will definitely add it, after all feedback helps make a story great! I wrote this chapter while listening to the newest album by The Neighbourhood. Check out the tunes "Wires" and "Female Robbery" if you like.

Chapter Five: The Girl Who Has Heart.

Over the next two months Kagome worked so hard she wished she had time to feel burnt out. There was almost no time for emotions in between training with Hawkeye, English with the incorrigible Tony,and her daily visits with Loki. The alien would get put out when she took time off from their strange friendship to nap, and if she missed a single day it was like he wanted to punish her by acting cold for an entire week. She had thought Inuyasha was insecure.

Hawkeye had addressed their strange relationship by simply warning her to be careful and watching her very closely. Kagome was a little disappointed he seemed so suspicious of her motives still. But then again when you are constantly seeing the worst side of people maybe it turned you into a skeptic on every level. But still, he seemed to still be waiting for the other shoe to drop, so Kagome tried to assure him it wouldn't by being a good student.

Her archery had improved dramatically, and it seemed to help her with her powers to infuse them into the arrows she used. Burning up some of the excess power helped her sleep better, and made her feel less... full. Whatever the Shikon's strange power had done to her body, it had given her this fullness to protect herself with. At least her holy powers would work on people now. Perhaps they weren't holy powers now? Some sort of pure energy source?

She stopped musing and strapped on her boots quickly. Fury had just beeped her on the communicator and told her to suit up. Her nerves were beginning to chatter in her ear annoyingly, and she could almost hear Inuyasha telling her how hopeless she was at everything. Kagome reminded herself about all the work she had put in resolutely, and tried to shut up the worried voices with her confidence.

Fury was waiting in the control room with Hawkeye and Black Widow, of all people. Kagome was actually relieved to be going out with the more normal and human of the Avengers crew. After all, Tony hit on her incessantly just to annoy her, Captain America was a super soldier from an era where people were pretty proper, and Bruce Banner was afraid of his own emotions. Not to mention the two brother "gods" would drive her out of her mind with their bickering.

Natasha Romanoff was less pleased. She was surprised the girl was still there to be frank about it. She had left on her mission to Bangladesh hoping that the child would have either gotten what she came for and proven herself to be a fraud, or simply been too weak for the training and have been secured at some third location. But Natasha had never had good luck over things like this. It had been her insistence to Fury that the girl was hiding something that had gotten her sent out to the middle of nowhere.

It wasn't that the woman was unlikable. It was simply that she was intolerably gentle and nice _all the time_. Whenever people tried to intentionally provoke her the girl seemed to master herself in minutes and try to be friendly even after you were rude or downright suspicious of her to her face. It wasn't natural and it set Natasha's teeth on edge. But at least Fury was sending her and Hawkeye out with the girl on her first mission.

Fury gave Kagome an information pad. She had learned to use them recently and became easily annoyed with how dirty her clean hands could make the screen, but focused on reading the information.

" As you can see, Corporal Marcus Argent is not a super criminal. It's where he decided to lose his mind that is of importance to us. He holed himself and seven hostages inside this military hangar. The hostages are his colleagues, and from the intel we gathered his wife set him off. She called him at work to tell him she was filing for divorce. He responded by sealing off the building and calling the media. We're lucky the hangar is on private government property, otherwise this would be even more of a shitstorm than it already is."

Kagome frowned, trying to find the information about the hangar itself that was so important. Fury didn't realize what she was looking for immediately, and when he did he almost chuckled. Japanese. How had he forgotten?

" The base the hangar is housed at is called Area Fifty-One. It's extremely popular with UFO enthusiasts. The hangar itself houses reverse engineered alien technology. Corporal Argent had access to every nuance of it. There is a chance he could use it to destroy the base. That is where you come in. I want you to work with Widow and Hawkeye. Use your calming agent and try to talk to him. If he makes any sudden moves you have permission to terminate him. Understood?"

Kagome nodded, and Natasha already knew the girl would not have the stomach to kill Argent if the possibility presented itself.

"Then get out of here."

Fury excused himself for another meeting. Delegation was his favorite part of the day, and really between the three of them he was not worried about the Argent situation. It would just be a great chance for Kagome to stretch her wings.

* * *

She was stretching them alright. Five minutes into the airship ride she had thrown up very messily in the back of the bay, and now the whole thing smelled like acrid vomit. Kagome had immediately found a water bottle and begun trying to clean up,but it was no use and Hawkeye had begged her to leave it and take a seat, almost exasperated. That had convinced her to sit and not bother. Hawkeye never got flustered.

The bunker came into view and Kagome forced herself not to get sick again. Black Widow's eyes were burning into her back as the girl shouldered her quiver and threw her long-bow over her shoulder. Kagome was determined to prove her wrong. She could handle this situation, and she would do it _her_ way.

The desert dust was thick as the airship landed. Kagome was lead by a local military police officer to the outdoor setup they had erected next to the building to speak to Corporal Argent and make sure nothing crazy happened. A serious looking Sergeant Major began to brief her on the situation, and she felt like she was in an action movie as he began gesturing to blueprints of the building and pictures of Argent and the hostages.

"Alright ma'am, so this building has three exits. These two have been welded shut, so this front one is the only point we could go in at now without breaking it down. Problem being he wired it with some sort of alien device. We didn't get a good look at it before he smashed the cameras in the hangar. So I hope you can convince him to surrender peacefully."

Faking the bravado she didn't feel, Kagome nodded. The Major gave her a small smile, probably trying to calm her down.

"We told Argent we were bringing in a professional negotiator, and he agreed to let you into the building in exchange for one of the female prisoners. He will probably choose Private Lopez. I'm going to call him on our connection and let him know you are here."

Fifteen minutes later Kagome was dropping her weapon off with Hawkeye and being exchaned for the very same Private Lopez mentioned before. She was a very young woman with a strict bun full of dark brown hair and wide brown eyes. Nodding shakily to Kagome as she passed, she nearly sprinted to the safety of the tent. Kagome's heart was stuttering in her chest.

Corporal Argent grasped her hand as soon as she entered the building, drawing it up behind her back painfully as he frisked her for secondary weapons. Kagome made herself remain silent and still as he triple and quadruple checked her. This was a nervous man. A man on the edge of reason. Any sudden moves would trigger an explosive reaction.

"Good. You people _can_ follow directions."

A hand at the small of her back guided her to a small desk in the back of the hangar. She could see the group of hostages to her left, most of them bound at the wrist or the ankle. Argent guided her to the desk at least, and that was a good sign. He wasn't thinking of her as a hostage just yet.

"So..what's your name? You don't look old enough to have graduated high school."

It was so surreal to her that he seemed so normal. It was like having a conversation with a good-natured stranger.

" I'm Kagome Higurashi. I am young, but I don't think it will affect our rapport."

Argent watched her, his green eyes catching the look on her face, the nuances of her gestures. He idly played with the wood grain texture of the desk, fingers tracing the top of the table gently.

"You've seen combat. Your eyes keep darting to my side arm. You have new muscle tone, which suggests intense training. Your accent places you in Japan until relatively recently. You have blue eyes. An anomaly."

Kagome wondered what he thought he was doing by reading her. It was a few minutes before she formed a proper response.

"You're sad. Deeply depressed, but forcing yourself to be upbeat for appearances. You aren't eating much, and you have bags under your eyes from lack of sleep. I think you're as worried about this situation as I am, but you..You did it when you were half crazy with sleep deprivation, and you don't want to go to jail for years for a slip-up. A momentary loss of control."

Argent watched her. Her sighed heavily, one hand on his cheek. The stubble there was a week old. He wished he could shave most likely. He seemed like the kind of man to take pride in being put together at all times. No wonder he had crashed so hard at his wife's news.

"True. I can't go to jail Kagome. Not while that..._ bitch _has my son."

Kagome winced at the word. At least Inuyasha didn't put that amount of emphasis on it, and it meant something fundamentally different to him.

"Well it's either that or dying and making him think you're a coward and a killer Corporal. Once you leave this hangar you won't have any leverage, and whatever they promise you won't meant anything, you know that as well as I do. I could have come in here to placate you with things you know might never happen, but I just want to speak honestly with you about the danger you are in."

The thought of his son Jamie thinking badly of him made his face sour. Kagome was hesitant to tap into her power obviously. If it came on too suddenly he might think it was some attack and execute his plan (whatever that was) on the hostages.

"_You_ are in danger Kagome. I could kill you without getting up from this chair if I wanted to."

Kagome decided to emit her power little by little. Argent leaned over the table to look closer at her, his face creased with the lines of desperation and exhaustion.

"Don't you _understand_? She is taking him away. Atlanta! That's halfway across the country. I just lost my temper._ I didn't want to hurt __anyo_-"

He had gripped her arms and begun shaking her. Kagome had unleashed the full brunt of her power into him, subduing him better than any _osuwari. _It was nearly impossible to prevent herself from purifying him with it, but she managed. Crushing him with the weight of peace and tranquility, he was soon sleeping against her shoulder as she struggled to get him into a seat to frisk him for detonators_._

Kagome cleared out the hostages after a few minutes. He hadn't wired anything to the doors except some very ominous looking cables he had found in one of the bays. Kagome felt her own mood drooping like a wilted flower by the time everything was said and done.

Argent wasn't some dangerous villain. He wasn't even conniving. He was just a man who had a really bad day and loved his kid. When the base police were loading him onto the transport she stayed to file her report. It was filled with mostly lies about how he had never touched her, how he had agreed to surrender almost immediately and explained about his wife.

Kagome hoped it would be enough to give him a bit of a lighter sentence. Widow and Hawkeye were watching her the whole time, silently passing judgement most likely. The ride back to base was silent.

Kagome laid down in her bunk and wished silently to dream of Inuyasha. When fate didn't allow her that wish she wound up curled onto Loki's lap,sleeping as a child would. Safe in the knowledge that he wouldn't hurt her.

Marcus Argent spent the night in a holding cell, silently blessing the good heart of an agent who lied for him. Natasa Romanoff spent the night contemplating the tracking device she had planted on Kagome's quiver. Hawkeye did as well, and wondered why he let Natasha get away with it before remembering just which one of the women he trusted more.

Fury slept peacefully all night, enjoying the serenity of a job well delegated.


	6. The Girl Who is Broken

AN:Thank you all for the great reviews! It makes me so happy to see that people enjoy my story. This chapter is one of my favorite so far, and we finally get all the Avengers together, and find out more about Kagome's strange power. Sorry for not updating last week, my kids are on a two week spring break, so I have no time to do my freaking hair, let alone update. Thanks for your patience!

Chapter Six: The Girl Who is Broken.

Bruce and Tony were working in the lab when Kagome walked past with Loki, talking animatedly to the stone-faced alien, who looked for all the world like he was going to his own funeral. Tony burst into spontaneous laughter at the sight of the pair, slapping the top of his workstation in glee.

"She's trying to pull a reverse Yoko, that's clever."

Bruce hadn't heard anything about Kagome and Loki even being in touch with each other, and so his brain was whirling like a dervish now. How had she even met the man? What was Fury about letting him get inside her head? They still didn't know anything about her powers, and Fury seemed content to believe that they were some sort of religious ability.

"Don't tell me Loki's grown attached to her?"

Tony actually looked serious for a moment. It was a weird look on the jovial man, and Bruce didn't say anything, because Tony's serious moments were fragile as a pane of glass. If Bruce said anything to set him off he'd forget all about what he was going to say.

" We all have, and in a very short amount of time. It's not normal, especially not for people like us. The only ones still fighting it are the bird and the spider, and the birds about to give in. It's not.. normal. I'm wondering if her emotional powers are a side effect of absorbing that jewel's power. If you're attached to someone it's harder to kill them, right?"

Bruce had thought that fleetingly himself, but had dismissed the idea easily in Kagome's company. But had he dismissed it because he didn't believe it, or because this strange power of Kagome's didn't want him to believe it?

"Jeez. We would all be compromised if that was the case. Should we tell Fury?"

Tony laughed outright then, shaking Bruce's shoulder jovially.

" Yeah right. Why tell Mommy when it's obvious Kagome is about as dangerous as a tulip? Se wouldn't hurt us, and if this is a side effect she isn't aware of it. If it becomes an issue, we go to Fury. Or you know..make an antidote. If it's even possible to make one for stimulating good will? How would that work? Maybe she releases a pheromone?"

Bruce was now sorry he had asked. As Tony went on his prolonged scientific rant he thought about the Hulk. He was glad he could keep his mind in his Hulk form now, but it was still the feeling of lost control that bothered him. He wished he had a choice in the matter.

Kagome felt a tugging in her chest. She turned back toward the lab with a weirdly fluid grace in her movement, and Loki turned to watch her, something akin to concern in his eyes. She moved past the SHIELD agents like a whisper, her skin glowing as it did when she purified things or healed. But this glow wasn't pale pink, it was a shimmering white light. Sound seemed to die in the hallway. Loki couldn't hear the footsteps of the agents as they turned to follow her, or the sliding open of the lab door.

Kagome's voice was that same gentle whisper as her fingers brushed Bruce's brow. Her blue eyes were seeping with some sort of power. They were edged in silver.

"_Speak the words_."

Bruce shook his head, not comprehending what she meant. He reached for her arms and hissed. His palms had been burned by whatever power was under her skin. Tony moved toward her, and Kagome whirled to look at him.

"_You must speak the words. Her power grows, if it doesn't find an outlet in the hearts and hopes of man mere flesh cannot contain me_."

Tony reached out, and for some reason his skin didn't burn.

" What are you?"

Those silver rimmed eyes caught him, arrested his movement.

" _I am Kagome. The part of Kagome's soul that houses the power of the Shikon no Tama and the Tessaract. Her mind cannot comprehend what she has become yet, and so we have compartmentalized these powers to protect her. But this mortal used the word wish. Kagome's heart felt that yearning and woke her power, thus waking me. If she does grant these wishes, her power will eventually diminish, and she will be able to control it in all areas, besides combat and healing. She is currently only receiving a quarter of her potential_."

Tony spoke, finally regaining his voice. At least this thing wasn't a god.

"Wait, so Kagome can hear thoughts?"

The creature rolled her eyes, that was when Bruce finally bought that it was part of Kagome's psyche.

"_No. The word wish activates part of the Shikon no Tama's power of perception. If she hears the word she is compelled to obey. It will be hard for her to refuse a wish, so I expect you to protect her from people who wish her harm. You have proven to be soldiers worthy of the gifts she possesses. But be warned: Thanos approaches. If he finds out about Kagome, he will try to capture her. That warmth she bestows on you can be turned to obsession in an unhealthy mind_."

Kagome's legs shook, and the voice sighed.

"_I must go_."

Kagome came to as her legs gave out, falling into Tony's arms. Bruce moved to help, and the moment his hand touched Kagome's back he began to feel strange. His body became enveloped in light. He felt something inside him become untethered..

* * *

When he woke up later in the infirmary, Kagome was sitting beside him, looking mournful as a widow.

" Bruce! I'm so sor-"

He shook his head.

"Don't be. It was my fault. What happened?"

The full set of Avengers occupied the small medical room, and Bruce hoped nobody needed a band-aid while he was out. Thor was leaning against a supply cabinet, Tony was resting with his feet up on Bruce's gurney, Steve was smiling at him from a proper visitors chair, and Clint and Natasha were speaking very quietly to each other by the door.

He looked down at his hands, embarrassed to see them all watching him now. But then he felt his pulse pounding at his temples. His hands were green. Normal sized, but green. He turned to Tony, who nodded, suddenly somber.

"You have the control you wanted, but according to Kagome the jewel likes to make people pay for their wishes. You couldn't control your transformations without melding the Hulk into your current form. There's no deformity of bone or anything. Just skin pigment."

Bruce began to laugh humorlessly.

" Just..That's funny. I guess SHIELD gets their wish after all. How can I possibly live anywhere in public now?"

The worst part was that he was so angry, so devastated.. and he didn't change. He couldn't blame the Hulk for the release of aggression he so wanted to perform right now. And how could he yell at Kagome, who had no idea of the depth of her power, who was very softly crying tears for him?

She reached out to comfort him, and Bruce slapped her hand away hard, overcome by the force of his grief and anger.

"NO! You don't get to tell me to calm down! This is my LIFE!"

Kagome recoiled as if she had been struck. She had only meant to comfort him, not mess with his head. Bruce knew he should stop yelling at her, but his head was clouded with thoughts of all the things he would never be able to do now.

"Get OUT!"

Kagome did. She stumbled out with tears in her eyes, whispering her apologies as she disappeared through the door. Thor was troubled. Who should he console? It was wrong of Bruce to hurt Kagome, but he was in indeterminable pain himself. Finally, he looked to Bruce.

"I am sorry that you are upset. I consider you not just an ally, but a friend. I must go after Kagome before she seeks out Loki. Director Fury has decided their friendship cannot continue while she might be forced by Loki to wish for his escape. I will return.."

He didn't wait for Bruce's response before leaving. Kagome was already halfway there when Thor seized her around the waist, trying to keep her from smashing open the door to Loki's hallway.

Kagome began to snarl and buck, fighting him like a wildcat. Thor had never seen her this aggressive before, and he finally was reduced to throwing her on the ground and straddling her, bracing her arms with his hands. She was yelling now, tears raining down her cheeks as she bellowed at him.

"_It's not fair, you can't take everything away! I already lost my entire life, please don't take him away too_!"

She tried to hit him, but with her fists pinioned Kagome couldn't budge. Letting out a strangled cry, she curled into herself and wailed, weeping from grief so deep Thor's heart wept with her.

Drawing her up into his arms, Thor took Kagome back to her room. He tucked her in and stayed with her, but he couldn't find the words to calm her restless heart. He petted her hair and when she drifted off he spoke to her, hoping the words penetrated her dreams and gave her some degree of peace.

"You won't lose him. I promise you that."

* * *

Natasha stood outside Loki's containment unit. She had wanted to kill the man since his abduction of Clint, but of course they had to play civil with him for Thor's sake. He deserved to be killed for the amount of lives he had taken, and if she could deal him one-fourth of the blows he had delivered, she would count herself satisfied. But this was th first weakness she had found in him besides pride.

"Seems like your little girlfriend can't come in for a sleepover anymore. Too bad.. I bet you wish you'd gotten in a few wishes before she got grounded?"

Natasha grinned like the Cheshire cat, glaring at the silent man in the cage. Loki was sitting, his hat removed. He looked strangely boyish without it. His eyes were empty of emotion, staring off into some space far above and beyond her.

"Think about it, you could be free. Maybe even the king of earth. Instead you get to sit in there and stew about your lost chance. Did you know that naïve little girl cried for you? Your brother took her to her room though. I bet he 'consoled' her. She probably liked it too, pulled his pretty blond hair and thought about how much better he was then you."

That last one got a rise out of Loki, but all he did was look up at her, derision and hatred clear in his vibrant green eyes.

"You are an ignorant slut, and it's _shameful_ how jealous you are of a woman who is half your age. You wish you could have retained your pure heart through all the terrible things you've done and seen. The fact that Kagome has irks you so.. I never thought to see a more jealous of a competitor than I. But at least I can be honest and admit it."

Natasha's face had drained of color. Loki had finally slung a barb with teeth, and as she hurried out of the secure room the god closed his eyes and sighed into the empty ether.

"_Kagome_.."


	7. The Girl Who Chose Herself

AN: Sorry for the wait you guys, I finally got a job after being unemployed for MONTHS. That's what you get for having a specific career I suppose. Anyway my hours are 7:00pm to 3:30am, so it cut into my writing time a bit. I figure I'll put The Gauntlet on the side for now and focus on this story, as it is my favorite. I'll try to tag either on the weekends or at the beginning of the week while I still have energy. Thanks so much for all the amazing reviews. As to a question posed about pairings, I have none in mind for now, as Kagome is still recovering from losing all her Feudal Era friends. She is closest to Loki for now, but that's not saying she will for sure end up with him.

Chapter Seven: The Girl Who Chose Herself.

Thor was there when Kagome woke up, like a blond shadow at the end of her bed. Kagome watched him with bleary red eyes. He was peculiarly handsome, and she wished he had more flaws in his face. It was a human vanity that was nagged by things that seemed so gorgeously perfect. The same impulse had always whispered to her to try to throw mud at Sesshoumaru's pristine clothes. She had never given into it. To her those rare beautiful things were gifts from a gracious god, who knew how barren life could be without it.

She was spent, of emotion, tears, anger. Her soul felt like a cup with all the contents emptied, with just the dregs of herself left at the bottom. A reminder of all she had gone through and given up freely for the people she loved. Would she ever be able to stop and do something just for herself?

Thor snuffled a snore in his drowsing, and as hard as she tried not to Kagome laughed. The sound broke through her reverie like a hammer on stained glass, and soon she had an idea. Shaking Thor awake, she almost couldn't believe how blue his eyes were. Almost as blue as his brothers were green. He watched her like she was an unreadable ancient text.

"Good Morrow Lady Kagome. I trust you rested well?"

He was as polite as a beau from a fairytale, and Kagome laughed again. It reassured Thor she wasn't as hurt as she had been the night before, but the tinge of irritated redness still lingered there in the sclera of her eyes.

"You don't have to rest on formalities with me. Just Kagome. I'm.. better than I was. That's the best answer I can give you. Thanks for coming to take care of me. I'm sorry if I was a burden, I know you probably wanted to stay with Bruce."

Her face wilted as she thought of the green-skinned professor, but Thor's giant hand rested on her shoulder.

" You are both my friends. He had no right to speak in such a way to you, even if he was angered by his transformation. But we all have made allowances for his bad humor, and I decided it was best to leave him be. Tony will have calmed him by now, and I do not think he ever truly blamed you to begin with. He blames himself for wishing."

Kagome wanted to believe Thor, but she remembered Bruce's face, snarled in anger. Her eyes felt raw again, and she held back her tears this time.

"What did you mean, when you said I would see Loki again?"

Thor smiled gently to her, patting her shoulder once more before removing his hand, thinking of Jane.

" Director Fury has no hold on me, Lady Kagome. And with your power, he has none on you either, besides your pacifism. He knows you would not fight to gain power, but if he intends to limit your freedom I can help you free Loki, and we can use your power to return to Asgard. You would be a revered guest in my father's hall, and Loki would not be forced to remain shackled there."

Kagome wanted to agree with him immediately, but then remembered the coming threat that had been mentioned. Could she really disappear when something was coming that could destroy the earth?

Yes. If Fury didn't care about her happiness, then yes.

Her eyes steeled in a look of pure warriors anger, and Thor was overcome with the feeling of pride. She refused to be a kept pet.

"If he won't let me see Loki, I'll take myself to him."

She disappeared from under Thor's hands like a ghost, and he looked about the room for a moment before sighing, exasperated.

"Woman, I didn't mean right away!"

With that he disappeared from Kagome's room, making his way down the hall to his brother's new cell.

* * *

Tony was sitting with Bruce, grinning like a lark. Bruce was frowning hard, staring at the piece of grid-paper with the hanging stick figure like he could light it on fire with his mind powers.

"A?"

Chuckling madly, Tony added the last leg to the figure, slapping the piece of paper on the table with the answer written out. Bruce read the answer, rolled his eyes, and crumpled the thing up into a ball, aiming for the stainless steel trashcan and missing by three feet.

"Pythagorean Theorem? Really? I expected better from you."

Tony laughed once more before leaning back, almost tipping the stupid gurney Bruce was still resigned to.

" I didn't think I could make a joke about you yet, you still seem kinda raw."

He said it like a joke, but the look in his eyes told Bruce he was serious. It was one of those rare moments when Tony wasn't being absolutely infuriating, and it was probably just because Steve was sleeping like a sack of potatoes in the chair in the corner, and both the assassins had left to guard Loki.

"I'm feeling a little better now. I just.. I just want to be normal. But when I was a scientist I was a sarcastic asshole. I tried to keep everyone at a distance. Sometimes I feel like I use the Hulk as an excuse.."

He looked ashamed, his eyes flicking down to the weird texture of the blanket, fingers picking off little balls of lint.

" An excuse for what Doc?"

Tony already knew, but this was Bruce's epiphany to make, not his.

"..To be alone. To be safe, not have to deal with anything or anyone. To stay miserable instead of be happy. Maybe I'm afraid of being happy. That it won't last."

Tony was immensely proud of his friend. It had taken so much for him to realize his life was a bad joke, and Bruce was finally getting there himself.

"Bruce..It's okay to be afraid of something like this. But you're drowning pal. Let us pull you out of the water. If you decide at the end of the road you would rather be alone.. hell, I'll buy you an island, okay?"

Just then Steve snorted himself awake though, and Bruce's gaze abruptly struck him, Tony turning to glare a bit at the patriot's ill timing. Steve blinked oblivious blue eyes.

".. What'd I miss?"

* * *

Loki was pretty sure he had just been in an empty cell two seconds ago. That was before Kagome appeared before him like a vision, grabbed his hand, and they disappeared. The world was completely dark for three seconds before he could see again. They were in a hallway now, and he felt a bit nauseous. Kagome was pulling him along like they were late for something, and Thor was waiting at the end of the corridor.

Loki was prepared to say something snarky when A barrier of bright pink light surrounded them, a bullet ricocheting off of it to sink into the wall. Turning, the priestess met Black Widow's eyes. For the first time Loki felt a trill of fear. Kagome actually looked truly angry for the first time since he had met her.

"Drop the shield and give us the prisoner."

Kagome shook her head.

"Not until I can speak to Fury."

Hawkeye reached for his comlink, startled when Natasha harshly murmured,"This isn't a the shield now, and release the prisoner."

Hawkeye didn't want to undermine Natasha, deciding to trust her to handle the situation. If things got out of hand he would com Fury, but the redhead seemed confident Kagome would be cowed into submission.

" I _said_ I want to talk to Fury. Now."

Then Natasha did something extremely stupid.

"I wish you would shut up and fight me."

The shield shattered into a dozen pretty pink pieces, and Kagome was on her, hand illuminated in blinding pink light as she blocked and directed blows. Natasha's skin was starting to burn under the glow of the light,and she truly understood now why Kagome held so much back behind her sweet veneer, if it truly was a veneer. Looking into the depth of her power, if this truly was only one-fourth of it, was like peering into a maelström.

She was on the ground smouldering. Kagome staggered away from her, her blue eyes alight with horror. Hawkeye shot an arrow and Thor caught it, snapping the thing in half like a twig.

"Call Fury."

Hawkeye acquiesced wordlessly, while he hoped Natasha lived to regret her error.


	8. The Girl Who Sheds Blood

AN:Hey ladies and gents! Guess who lost their job and isn't too sad about it? This here writer! I missed all of you and my writing and your sweet comments so much! kimchi759 wrote me a comment that really spurred me on to update today, and just know that a well-timed comment almost always fuels my brain for a new chapter. Sometimes I get discouraged and don't know what I should do next, and you guys always seem to write in at just the right moment to encourage me, so thank you all!

Chapter Eight:The Girl Who Sheds Blood.

Natasha was sleeping like a child when Fury arrived to confront Kagome, Thor and Loki. The group had not moved from their spot in the hallway, and Natasha looked paler than any living person had the right to look. Hawkeye was watching Kagome intently, his eye straying to Natasha every few seconds. If Kagome had killed her, she knew Hawkeye might well exact a revenge even Fury couldn't dissuade him from.

It was her fault. Kagome had repeatedly asked her to call the Director. If the Black Widow hadn't been so antsy to pick a fight with her, no harm would have come to her. But Kagome wasn't heartless. She already felt badly for having to subdue the woman. But why had her power caused such a bad reaction? Natasha was human, and shouldn't have responded so violently to the purifying energy. But then again her powers had expanded with the Jewel's destruction. Perhaps this was a consequence of that.

"Take her to the medical bay. _Now_."

Hawkeye was about to protest, but did as he was asked. After all, it was what he truly wanted to do. But duty was supposed to come before his desire to help his..ally. Fury wouldn't send him off if he didn't think he had everything under control. The swish of his coat was all Kagome heard in the hall. Everything was soft and dangerous now, quiet as a glen before the hunter sprang his trap.

Loki and Thor had taken position to either side of her. Thor knew better than to touch his hammer. Fury would take that as a sign and..well. Whatever half-cocked plan the humans had in place. Perhaps more Tessaract generated weapons. Or worse; they would send Tony, Bruce, and Steve after them. He couldn't fight his comrades. It would mean leaving Earth without his woman, and potentially never having the chance to return.

But the way they were treating Kagome and his brother was unjust. He was a ruler, it was his duty to protect his people and preferably all people in his sight from such injustices. What good be a crown that came without the power to keep others from suffering?

Fury seemed to be trying to read them. Loki was starting to get a handle on the situation, especially with Kagome standing in the lead, her dark hair rippling free and her grey-blue eyes dangerous and unreadable. Had she really done this to protest being cut off from him?

"She attacked me when I asked peacefully to speak with you. I defended myself and then backed off once she was subdued. I don't intend any harm to anyone, but I am not a citizen here and refuse to be mistreated and told whom I can and cannot see. If you refuse to let me see Loki I will take the three of us to Asgard. Along with any benefit I might pose to your current predicament with this mystery villain who is on the way."

Fury looked like he might bust a blood vessel. His voice was soft and dangerous.

"You didn't intend harm, but you sure as hell managed to dole it out, little girl. Do you really think Loki can be reformed? He nearly destroyed this planet. If he can find a way to use you against us, do you really think I can allow that?"

Loki felt a wave of irrational anger sweep down his back, making him bristle like a porcupine. But just as he was about to defend himself he realized Fury was correct. If he had just met Kagome and knew of her power, he would certainly exploit her for his own benefit. But..now it was different. He knew without thinking twice that if he wished for any of the dark desires of his heart that Kagome would have no choice right now in granting them.. but he would lose her forever.

And Loki couldn't chance that. Not after being around her for so long. Not after growing attached. Besides.. it would be far better to obtain his greatness without anyone's help. She could be his strong right hand.

Loki made a choice then.

Loki met Kagome's eye, turning her head from Fury effortlessly. It was like she knew, and couldn't look away.

Green eyes met hers, and Kagome felt weightless and full of trust. She somehow knew that Loki wouldn't jeopardise this.

"He speaks the truth. The only way to remain here is for one of us to sacrifice something. I wish to prove my loyalty. My loyalty to you."

Loki knelt then, and Thor felt his chest tighten in pride. His eyes began to wet with tears, which he worked hard to blink away. Only Loki would do such things at a time like this. But it was the leap his brother was making that astounded him. A leap of faith. Faith that Kagome was someone who would understand and not abuse the things Loki offered.

"When Asgardians swear, we swear in blood. Our blood contains the essence of our beings. If we break an oath made in blood, we die."

Kagome gasped, immediately trying to speak over him when the trickster's index and middle finger came to rest over her full lips. The motion left him with shivers down his spine, but he chalked it up to the momentous feeling of the moment. She quieted for him, and Loki offered her his hand. Remembering she carried a few small knives, Kagome removed one from a pocket and offered it to him. Loki sliced a shallow cut into the palm of his hand, and Kagome was mesmerized by how dark his blood cut her palm as well, and she couldn't feel it. He had done it as gently as he would stroke her hair.

"I, Loki Laufeyson do swear in blood that I shall protect and honor the Priestess Kagome Higurashi in word, deed, and thought. That I shall not abuse her power directly or indirectly. That I shall keep others from doing the same. Should I break this oath, may my soul be ripped from my body. For should I fail her, I would not deserve to keep it."

He kept her eyes the entire time. Kagome's own were wet with tears, but Loki remained kneeling.

"I would also like to _wish_.. that nobody be able to make wishes without Kagome's consent. So that she may lead a safer life, uninhibited by people trying to abuse her."

Nobody had thought of that. Kagome's body seemed to illuminate from the inside out, the faint pink glow rising until it formed a barrier over the top layer of her skin. It receded after a few moments, but Kagome nearly tackled Loki to the ground, dropping to embrace him and bowling him off his knees.

He kissed his cheeks, crying and smiling and all sweetness now that the danger(to her knowledge)had passed.

Loki fought himself not to lean in for a proper embrace. He was still stiffly watching Fury. But he did fold Kagome tightly to his chest, securing her with an arm. Thor stood ready to protect them as well. It was perhaps the only time he ever appreciated having his brother around.

"Is that satisfactory?"

Fury looked like he was ready to lose his mind. Now he had to put faith in alien blood rituals? What if it was all mumbo-jumbo? Thor would likely swear to it, and then when the shit hit the fan Loki would use Kagome- but then again he had wished for her to be esssentially unwishable. Fury knew as well as Loki did that if he forced Kagome's hand and refused to let her see the alien, she would make good on her promise and he would alienate her.

Damn it.

"You attacked my agent. As long as she lives we won't have an..issue. But next time, come to me before you spring a prisoner and try to go commando. The last thing we need is more damage dealt to this Helicarrier. Loki needs to be secured, and then-"

Thor spoke then, which surprised Loki.

"Nay. You cannot keep him in a single room alone anymore. I am responsible for him, and long have I allowed him to be kept too chained. If human imprisonment is based around the concept of rehabilitation, I do not see how locking him out of sight and simply feeding him enough to keep him from death counts as rehabilitation. Lady Kagome has been far more successful in reaching him. Keeping them together would be a better course, and we can't waste time guarding him when we need to train and prepare for what approaches."

Fury was about to speak when Thor cut him off.

"This is not negotiable. If you refuse Lady Kagome has already offered to return us to Asgard."

He wanted to strangle them. All of them.

"...Well then this isn't up for debate. But I warn you now. Any move he makes, you two are responsible for. And if he takes a single human life while he is under your protection, I will lock both of you in a cell with him!"

Fury turned and left, a flip of his coat the only outward sign that his mood was currently matching his ominous name.


End file.
